Chapter 64: The Advance and the Divine Allure

Leading every member of the Knight Order, Cecilia urged them forward at full speed towards the demon territory, their advance commencing just after the midday sun had passed.

A sense of bewilderment rippled through the ranks, for none could fathom why their Knight Commander would initiate such a rapid advance, particularly given that she had not risen at her customary hour that morning.

Yet, despite their confusion, none had dared to rouse Cecilia from her slumber, primarily because Her Royal Highness, the Princess, was also present within the same tent.

Such circumstances inevitably sparked myriad conjectures among them, for stories abounded with similar romantic entanglements.

Trailing discreetly behind the Knight Order were Bai Yu’s Shadow Beasts.

Bai Yu herself rode upon Xiao An’s back, positioned at the absolute rear of the advancing forces.

This strategic placement served a singular purpose: to allow the Knight Order to act as a screen for her Shadow Beast contingent, thereby affording Bai Yu ample time to pinpoint the exact location of the divinity.

Given that her Shadow Beast forces comprised low-tier, beast-like entities of modest stature, they could be readily obscured by the larger forms of the Knight Order.

While such a maneuver might appear rudimentary, they currently possessed no advanced technological means to achieve the same effect.

Bai Yu had, in fact, acquired numerous concealment spells from her dream memories; however, deploying them in this scenario would be an extravagant waste, for her magical reserves were simply insufficient.

Her magical energy, akin to her innate spiritual power, was too limited; as a mere second-tier being, she simply could not sustain such a prodigious expenditure.

Indeed, such potent concealment magic would be far more judiciously employed for a swift escape once the divinity had been secured.

Seated upon Xiao An’s back, Bai Yu mused on these thoughts.

‘Moweila, are you able to pinpoint the precise location of the divinity?’

Bai Yu directed her query to Moweila, for it was Moweila who had first apprised her of the divinity’s existence, a fact without which Bai Yu would have been utterly incapable of locating it.

[It is no longer far. I can directly imprint the precise coordinates within your mind; a single glance will reveal all.]

In the next moment, a distinct location materialized within Bai Yu’s consciousness.

‘My goodness, this feature is incredibly useful! Why did you not inform me of it sooner?’

Bai Yu exclaimed, a note of astonishment in her voice, marveling at the sheer convenience of Moweila’s function, which amounted to a personal, portable mapping and localization system.

[This marks my inaugural attempt as well. After all, it is my first time inhabiting another’s body in this particular state; how could I possibly possess omniscient knowledge?]

Moweila delivered her reply to Bai Yu in an exasperated tone, as though issuing a sharp rebuttal to a particularly thoughtless inquiry.

‘Alright then…’

Upon careful reflection, Bai Yu conceded the truth of Moweila’s words.

Even after assimilating the dream memories, her tendency towards being easily startled and overly dramatic remained stubbornly ingrained.

Riding Xiao An, Bai Yu drew alongside Cecilia and relayed to her the precise location of the divinity.

‘It’s located there, of all places?’

Upon hearing Bai Yu’s description of the site, Cecilia’s expression clouded with difficulty, for she had indeed visited that very location prior to the demon invasion.

The position, however, was a natural stronghold, formidable in defense and treacherous to assault, rendering their current predicament even more challenging.

Despite Cecilia’s somber assessment, Bai Yu remained resolute, harboring no intention of altering her strategy; she was determined to conclude the battle in a single, decisive strike.

They had committed the entirety of the Knight Order’s forces to this endeavor, even forsaking their encampment, with the explicit goal of achieving success in one decisive push, leaving absolutely no margin for error.

For, once they departed this place, the dream world itself would inevitably dissipate, thus rendering any notion of holding back utterly pointless.

All of them were but illusory constructs, their existence ephemeral; Bai Yu considered herself already exceptionally humane for not consigning the Knight Order members to a futile demise.

Such a method was not beyond Bai Yu’s contemplation, yet she swiftly dismissed it.

While it undeniably presented the most efficacious solution, she was compelled to weigh Cecilia’s sensibilities, given the profound influence the dream memories exerted upon her, which could potentially precipitate far graver repercussions.

Moreover, alternative strategies existed, rendering this particular risk entirely unnecessary for Bai Yu; a risk she had, in fact, not even divulged to Cecilia.

Rejoining the rear of the formation, Bai Yu subtly directed her beasts to peel away from the main body, taking a separate, circuitous route towards the divinity’s location.

As this was decidedly no gentleman’s engagement, Bai Yu felt no compunction in employing any and all means at her disposal, however unconventional.

She deployed every conceivable underhanded and deceptive ambush tactic, her sole objective being to secure the divinity with the utmost celerity.

Yet, the moment her eyes fell upon the unfolding scene, Bai Yu found herself instantly beset by a formidable challenge.

Gazing from afar, she beheld a horrifying sight: innumerable Shadow Beasts, dense as a colony of ants, swarming relentlessly around a luminous pillar of radiant white light.

The sheer spectacle was enough to trigger Bai Yu’s trypophobia, not due to the absolute multitude of Shadow Beasts, but rather the unsettling way they were packed together, each striving to draw ever nearer to that radiant white light.

One could only imagine the immense, irresistible allure the divinity held over these creatures.

Much like moths inexorably drawn to a flame, their primal instincts relentlessly compelled them closer to the divinity.

Despite the seemingly remote odds, Bai Yu had gleaned from Moweila’s words that, upon making contact with the divinity, these Shadow Beasts stood a chance of undergoing enhancements beyond all reckoning.

A salient example was the creature known as the Blade Man, which distinctly differed from other Shadow Beasts, exhibiting a perceptibly higher degree of intelligence, albeit still remarkably crude.

In stark contrast, Xiao An, who possessed the remarkable ability to comprehend her words, was nothing short of an Einstein among Shadow Beasts.

Truly, a worthy mount, possessing a glimmer of her own keen intellect.

So mused Bai Yu.

Bai Yu continued her cautious approach, finally halting at a predetermined position.

[This constitutes the nearest permissible proximity. Should you venture any closer, the Shadow Beasts will assuredly discern your presence.]

Moweila conveyed this information to Bai Yu with an unwavering calmness, to which Bai Yu responded with a silent nod of acknowledgment.

From this vantage point, the distinct forms of the Shadow Beasts became discernible.

Bai Yu observed that the closer to the white light, the higher the rank of the creatures—a detail Moweila had perceived, for Bai Yu herself could only distinguish that the most distant Shadow Beasts appeared marginally larger in stature.

Bai Yu held her breath, her form pressed low against Xiao An’s back, as she patiently awaited Cecilia’s prearranged signal.

Their strategy was deceptively simple: Cecilia would draw the Shadow Beasts away, whereupon Bai Yu would move in to claim the divinity.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Bai Yu’s primary focus remained solely on the high-tier Shadow Beasts positioned nearest to the radiant white light.

Abruptly, a deep rumbling resounded from the distant horizon, and the sky above became brilliantly illuminated by the incandescent glow of magic.

A contingent of Shadow Beasts immediately stirred, agitated by the sudden commotion.

Though undeniably captivated by the divinity, the intrusion of an external enemy spurred them to prioritize the swift elimination of the invaders.

An ever-growing tide of Shadow Beasts surged towards Cecilia’s position, causing the previously dense mass to instantly disperse into a chaotic scattering.

Bai Yu patiently bided her time, waiting until the formidable congregation of Shadow Beasts before her had dwindled to a manageable degree before she launched herself forward with lightning speed.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Bai Yu urged Xiao An into a full-speed gallop, while the surrounding Shadow Beasts, her own, provided crucial cover.

Due to their shared nature as Shadow Beasts, it was not until Bai Yu had drawn exceptionally close to the divinity that the high-tier Shadow Beasts finally perceived that something was profoundly amiss.

These high-tier Shadow Beasts, however, had not joined the assault on Cecilia’s Knight Order; they remained steadfast, immersed in the divinity’s radiant embrace.

Some, driven by an insatiable urge, attempted to draw closer still, only to be violently repelled by its frenzied aura.

They were condemned merely to observe, utterly devoid of the privilege to make contact.

Logically, any and all disturbances were typically handled by the low-tier Shadow Beasts.

Thus, when they finally became aware of Bai Yu’s particular contingent of Shadow Beasts, expressions of profound bewilderment spread across their features.

It was not until Bai Yu stood directly before the divinity that their gazes finally fell upon Bai Yu, perched atop Xiao An’s back.

An intruder! It was an intruder!

In an instant, the high-tier Shadow Beasts erupted in a paroxysm of savage fury, their features twisting into grotesque, enraged contortions.